Together as One
by r-nica
Summary: In marking the first anniversary of Atem's departure, Yuugi and the others dedicated in his memory three cards that are far more valuable than the God Cards themselves. ONE-SHOT.


**DISCLAIMER:** Yuugiou/Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters belongs to Takahashi Kazuki. Don't sue me.

**I thought **_King_** would be the last Yu-Gi-Oh! fic I'd post, but here I am with another one. I guess this is what happens when you read your own fics again and realize that you owe your readers/reviewers/followers a fic or two. Actually, this is my promised revision of **_In Memory of Him_**, which I posted back in 2009, but most of you probably don't even remember that. I took it down because I was very unsatisfied with the way I delivered it. But I think this revised version is way better and more compact. **

**Normally I write using a third-person (limited) viewpoint, but this time it's a third-person in a more or less general viewpoint (just in case some of you may wonder why it keeps on shifting). **

**Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

TOGETHER AS ONE

* * *

_"Jounouchi, will you _quit _moving? Please?"_

_"I still don't understand why we can't just have this summarized in a snapsh—"_

_"We're _not_ doing this the too easy way. It's just a little sacrifice. The more realistic we make this, the better it would be."_

_"Easy for you to say that, Anzu. This is your only time to do this for who knows how many hours while as for me—"_

_"Yeah, really, Anzu. This is _way_ stiffening. Even my muscles can barely contract—"_

_"Guys, could we please stop arguing? This might take a longer time than necessary."_

_"How you could get words past closed lips is beyond me, Yuugi. I mean, you must be the most drained of us all. Then again, I don't get how we all could talk like this—"_

_"I suggest you take his advice, everyone." A distant voice. _"_After all, you want this to be perfect, don't you?"_

* * *

They had gathered again. For twelve months, they had managed to turn the wheels of their lives but in the end would look back at the farthest edge of that time.

Otogi had done an excellent job with this land on where all of them now stood. Quiet, private, yet devoid of the burdening atmosphere a cemetery brought, as they had wished. Even the cloudless expanse of azure agreed together with the sunlight warming their cool skin. Sheared blades of green brushed against five pairs of clad feet, once in a while swept and gently teased by the soft Sunday breeze.

So much in contrast with the dark cool chamber where an air of heavy suspense, pain, and loss had paralyzed witnesses to an opening door to the light of finality.

With finality always came a last act of respect, something most of them couldn't give. Not without complete acceptance or even coming close to that. But this was inevitable. In the beginning, Yuugi had tried to create a memorial in his home to fill the emptiness inside him. But soon, it had become painfully obvious to the rest of the group how being constantly reminded of Atem was tearing apart Yuugi's resolve to stand on his own instead of strengthening it that they had to take it down.

Otogi, the least attached to Atem among the group, had then offered a small piece of his land for the memorial to help Yuugi, and in reality Jounouchi and the others as well, heal properly, to which they all had agreed. It wasn't like they had planned to forget the pharaoh, but they all knew they had to get used to his absence. They would get through it, they had promised each other. One day at a time.

Today was the three hundred sixty-fifth day.

Already built a few meters apart from the clutch of people was an elevated open room, its high roof supported by four sturdy columns painted in soft gold. Every other space, save for the left and right periphery, was walled and floored with carefully layered bricks to cradle the heart of the memorial: a table cushioning a replica of a three thousand-year-old box. The box that contained the pendant bearing a powerful sealing name, protected by an unbreakable thick glass case now unlocked. In the eyes of an outsider, it was a mausoleum of its own kind, perhaps an open tomb. But for the small crowd that had gathered today, it was an embodied remembrance for the one who had changed their lives in both his presence and absence.

Meanwhile, three valuable items rested on the people's hands. It was Anzu who came up with the idea of dedicating cards in honor of Atem. There couldn't have been a better way; as unusual as it seemed, it turned out to be a creative and, surprisingly, an effective way of coping. None of them wanted to waste this special day by being broken, and they wanted to assure him that they were all right.

But these cards were so set apart that even Pegasus, having learned their history, recognized their value and was certain he could get them to be highly regarded by the general public. It had taken quite a long time before he got the group's permission to reproduce them, two copies at most. It was fine with him, though. After all, he wouldn't dare, in his fine artistic skills, to cheapen his collaboration with these young people who had etched a silent history in the dueling world.

One of the figures took the opportunity to offer the first token in his hands. He walked, no, _strode_ in silence until the floor was just a few inches away from his studded shoes. Had no one actually witnessed the way Atem had departed, everyone would believe that this lean young man of confident stance and broadened shoulders was the very former king of Egypt in the flesh or at least in the possession of the now slightly taller build. But then, all physical and personal development did nothing to wash away in now slightly sharp eyes the gentleness that belonged to Yuugi alone. He raised the item before him just above his chest, and his face remained still as bright, his smile still as pure.

"It's been one year since the Ceremonial Battle, Atem. And it's also been one year since I stopped referring to you as my other self. I stand as Mutou Yuugi, the only Yuugi in the world, as you made me see. In truth, it was such a struggle for me, especially at the beginning. And I still miss the old times; we'd been through the most pleasant and the roughest times together as Yuugi. But until you were no longer bound to my name, I was unintentionally depriving you of who you really are. Your void identity in the present was temporarily defined by us, but your own self would lose its full meaning and purpose should you not get your memories of three thousand years ago."

He clutched the object higher. "This was all what you were searching for. I wasn't living yet to be a witness to your reign, but I believe in my heart you were very just, a king who looked after his people and a fierce force against evil. You demonstrated far more than enough even in the contemporary era. For our welfare, especially mine since the beginning, you made yourself a hand of justice through duels, even while without memories. And for you to lose them along with your own name to save Egypt…"

Tears moistened his eyes, then stained the sharp contours down to the angular jaw in rivulets. "When I was on my knees that last moment, you told me, 'If I were you, I wouldn't cry.' But I'm in tears now, not as a survivor but as a victor, out of pride and joy of being the one to have helped you in the end. Now let me say this to you: You're no longer the other me. And you are no one but yourself. You are the only Atem in the world. Atem, a great pharaoh, our friend… my partner."

The smile never fading, he wiped pride and joy from purple eyes with the back of his hand, stepping on the floor to reach the core. So slowly, he brought down the _Pharaoh no __Shinpan _card in an upright position beside the cartouche. In truth, it was really him but portrayed in Atem's Egyptian garments; he had left no detail untold to Pegasus, who adjusted some of the Duel King's features to suit the fierce image of the pharaoh they were after. Then he trailed a finger along the cool smooth edges of the box, the vessel crafted in every detail from sharp, repeated images permanently burned in his memory. The box that broke his heart when he had finally permitted that it be taken away a year ago but now he could look at without hurting inside.

As Yuugi calmly stepped out into the more open fresh air, Jounouchi began his advance, then paused midway. Amethyst eyes met brown orbs for one long second. Then both duelists shared a nod before Yuugi returned to where the rest of their friends stood, and the blond took the Duel King's place.

"'Something you can see but that can't be seen.'" He held the next object high in pride, the _YU-JYO_ card showing himself and Yuugi as Atem facing each other with clasped hands in determination. Long-lost enthusiasm was brimming between a smile and a grin. "Do you remember that when I described my treasure back then? I was talking to Yuugi, but surely you were listening. It's because of this treasure that you and I made that unbreakable oath to meet in the Battle City finals and I to carry that out as a true duelist."

For a while, his gaze grew distant, his voice serious as his current expression temporarily diminished. "For a long time, I searched hard in every duel I encountered and inside myself. And I never stopped, not just because of me. Even though I already became a true duelist, even after we had battled past the conclusion of the tournament, you still were my goal. And when you finally had to lay down your sword for good…"

He trailed off, closing his eyes. "I guess Yuugi was really more worthy of the position to help you than I was. I understood why, and my dream ended right there. Or so I thought." His eyelids parted, the distant gaze holding the gleam of glass. "Atem, even after one year, I still find it difficult to turn my back on it. And it would remain difficult for countless years. You're still the true duelist I look up to, and I'll never stop refining myself for that. I can, no, I _believe_ I'll be as excellent and true as you are, and you'll be proud of me. When the time is right, I'll go over there and have another real duel with you. Red Eyes in spirit would be very happy and proud. Just wait for me." His grin threatening his lips, conviction bred in his tone. "But our promise is more than just that duel. This is about all that we had and what we still would have in the future. And I speak for everyone when I say I believe in that future, just as you had believed in our future foreseen by the Millennium Torque."

Unshed tears now trailed down freely. But his fingers remained firm like a board, unwilling to clean his cheeks. "Real men don't cry, but only cowards deny true bonds of friendship. As I said a year ago, even if you're the pharaoh, even if you're Atem, you'll always be Yuugi. Even if one thousand years passed, you'll always be our friend. And that will never change!"

The grin now lost the fight; the wholehearted smile even Jounouchi never thought would be possible this year, or ever, cleared out all remnants of inner struggle. It was a real smile, a smile of survival, a smile of acceptance severely fought for that finally he had won. In his slow walk to give the box his and everyone else's treasure, he didn't sob, as he nearly had, twelve months back, the minute he had lost all shreds of self-possession for Anzu to remain strong and bled his bedroom walls with fists of denial and loss while cursing endlessly—himself or the situation, he didn't know—to alleviate himself of the pain. Again and again, he had sworn to never forget the spirit of the Puzzle, as many times Yuugi, Anzu, and Honda had. Now he might sound like a broken record but what did he care? He would continue to be one until he broke into uncountable pieces. Renewing the ageless oath in his own silence, Jounouchi headed back to the small cluster in steady steps.

It was Anzu's turn to present the third token of remembrance, the last but never the least one, and she stepped forth to raise it the way Yuugi and Jounouchi had. But to everyone's surprise, she chose at the last minute to proceed to the heart of the open room and carefully settled the object at the remaining space. Slowly, she walked out back to the sea of grass, chocolate bangs hooding over blue hues.

Worry at her heavy steps began working its way on all the guys; it was no secret how Anzu had lost _two_ people in Atem's departure, the second one being experienced and understood only by a young woman. But then, she halted a distance short from the edge of the floor, then faced the very seat of the memorial. Her head raised, bravery brewed beneath nostalgia in her eyes trained at the aurum box while she lifted an open palm at waist level. Her three closest friends recognized the relived moment of significance: Anzu was giving the blank cartouche to the Nameless Pharaoh.

"Yuugi… Please take this cartouche. The ancient pharaohs always had their names written on them, I hear… If you regain your memories and remember your real name, I hope it would be useful to you and make you realize how much I care about you. The portion on that palette with the pharaoh's name got worn off, right? I would like to know not just your real name but everything about you."

She sighed to herself. "That is what I really wanted to say to you back then. But in the end, I didn't have the guts to tell you how I really felt about you. I didn't even bid you a proper goodbye and even practically questioned your right to move on right at the very last minute. I was selfish, and I'm sorry. But despite all this, I didn't want to be the one to deprive your family and other loved ones of your presence, of your soul… Of _you_. I loved you too much to do that, and I still do even up to this day." The once steady hand began to tremble, then faced down to lower itself as Anzu's head bowed.

But then, a strong male hand that used to bruise and bleed arrogant faces caught her uncharacteristic near surrender, and Anzu turned to her side to find Honda, who was nearest her, nodding at her. The tremor ceasing, she cast him a grateful smile, then faced the establishment again to continue. "Knowing this now, please do not worry about me; I'll be all right. Even though I don't see you anymore, somehow I still, at times, feel as though you never actually left. Call it desperation or delusion if you want, but that's just the way it is. Thank you for the countless times you were there for me and for being there for Yuugi when I wasn't or couldn't be. I miss you so much, Atem. We all miss you, and we will continue to until our last breath."

It was by some miracle that not even a single tear slid from the corner of Anzu's eye this time. But then again, there was no need for any. In countless times that she had tried to stay as strong as Yuugi while remembering her savior and departed friend at the same time, she had dried her tear ducts into desert. But it was right at this very moment, after much wandering, that she finally found the relieving oasis she'd thought never existed at all.

Honda gently let go of Anzu's hand, fixing his gaze at the floor. "I had no idea I was yelling support for actually two Yuugis. I should have noticed that earlier. I'm no duelist; I couldn't do anything else for you but cheer for you or pull you up. But of all the strong people I've met, you're the toughest one. No man could carry the heavy weight of your past the way you did."

His gaze drifted up. "You know what, Atem? You're the only guy besides Jounouchi I really shed tears for. And I used to be the one who made people cry. Last year just couldn't help but be difficult to understand. Imagine how ripped apart we were just by watching you walk through that door of light, even though we tried to feel anything else but."

For a while, he remembered the first few months of himself aimlessly driving around and outside the city in result until he ran out of gas each day. It wasn't until he had nearly run over a young duelist that he realized he was really trying to escape the heavy weight in his chest since the Ceremonial Battle and stopped. "However, we had to face it. No, we needed to be _mature_ about it: we must continue with our lives, just as you have to go on your own path. I know this is a line way overused by people, but I'm glad that I met you. We all are. I guess it's just a matter of time before we meet you again. Bakura also wishes to express his regret of not having the chance to really get to know you. He may have moved back to England for good, but his bond with us is here to stay."

Otogi, who stood a good few feet away, joined them wordlessly. Hands buried in his pockets, he let his emerald gaze rest on the box whose basis once housed the disintegrated Millennium Puzzle.

"I was such an idiot for believing you were a cheater. You really are great, Atem-kun, duelist or not; I failed to see that. It shames me that through your group you still accepted me, but it even shames me more that I was barely of any real help to you at all. This idle piece of land, once a distant former garden where I grew up dreaming of creating my own game but with no one by my side to share this dream with or to believe in me… This dedication for my very first real opponent of that game; for someone who believed in its potential and, in this way, in me; for a first friend…"

The brunet closed his eyes, gentle wind brushing his left jaw with the die hanging from his ear. "It's the only thing I could offer you, even after all this time I'd been with you. I hope you can forgive me. But I promise to make it up to you through aiding our comrades in all ways possible. It's too bad that I didn't get the chance to really get to know you the way Yuugi-kun and Jounouchi-kun had, though. Maybe the next time we meet, we'd just be able to do that, man-to-man. We all will remember you."

Finally green orbs opened. "It was a privilege to be one of the only few to see you off. But that I became your friend… the honor is mine."

"Otogi-kun, you're wrong about being unable to help Atem," Anzu objected as she watched her schoolmate amble smoothly toward Yuugi and Jounouchi. "You've done so much for him, for us, even more than you believe. Giving up this small secluded share of your property when you saw how much Yuugi was suffering, offering to have this site constructed and be watched over for free, almost not taking up on our insistence to contribute our share of the expense… Atem probably wasn't expecting you to do this much for him; he would definitely feel honored by this."

"I could say the same thing for you, Anzu-san," he returned. "You had been with Atem-kun far more than I had; your invaluable help for him to regain his past just proves how wrong you are about your being selfish."

Honda nodded in agreement. "You should listen to him, Anzu. I've never told you this before, but you're one of the strong people I was talking about, considering how hard this day must be for you. Until we saw how down you were before we ferried last year, the rest of us weren't even aware of how you really regarded Atem."

"I was."

Anzu stared with widened eyes at the source of the response as the others turned to him, equally surprised. "Y-Yuugi…?"

"I know how you felt, Anzu. It was clear to me from your actions since the beginning. And I know it wasn't easy." Yuugi met her eyes with full sincerity. "But no matter how Atem viewed you, I know he was very grateful to you for all you had done for him."

"I'm all right now, Yuugi. Really. I suppose I just really needed a long time to wholeheartedly accept his departure." Anzu's lips drew a smile. "Similarly, if Atem could see you now, I know he would be proud of you. Of us."

Yuugi nodded.

"His soul may be over there, but his spirit is right here. Atem's spirit… Yuugi, Jounouchi, Honda, Otogi-kun." Anzu turned to each present male as she spoke, then elevated her hand. "Through laughter and tears, together as one."

Honda nodded, laying his palm on the back of Anzu's hand. "Always right behind you, together as one."

Otogi stepped forth to place his hand atop Honda's. "Anytime, anywhere, together as one."

Jounouchi walked over and slipped the back of his hand beneath the growing heap, shouldering all the weight on Anzu's hand. "Always to support you, together as one."

Finally, Yuugi capped the pile of hands with his own, the scene reminiscent of the last dedicated card, the one that held all their gifts together. "In death and life…"

But then the rest of his words withered away.

A hush swept over everyone like a calm wave. All widened gazes centered themselves on the collection in their midst.

For beside Yuugi's spread hand, right on the remaining spot facing the memorial, a phantom arm stretched itself and sealed the promise with the right hand that used to hold control over the powerful gods.

Everyone saw it. Everyone _felt_ it.

And witnessed the silent way the owner withdrew that arm, the curves of the mouth lifted as he brought his palm close to him with its back facing the group.

Yuugi allowed a smile, his hand abandoning the pile in that similar yet very nostalgic fashion. One by one, Honda, Anzu, and Jounouchi followed suit in understanding and joy, on each hand a fragment of a pen-marked drawing only they, along with Yuugi, could see. With only his hand remaining in suspension, Otogi, having already learned before from Anzu the origins of that gesture he hadn't been part of, withdrew it and ended it right there in veiled uncertainty. But upon seeing the others nod at him in encouragement, he gazed at his slowly raising palm to near face level, looked up, and finally smiled.

At that moment, time seemed to have lost its strength. No breathed words were needed. Just each other's presence, in that ordinary, seemingly meaningless hand gesture that had pulled them through the deadliest of situations.

A nonexistent breeze majestically sailed the royal blue cloak, and the translucent figure slowly faded from sight.

And with the eternal promise cemented by his still hand, Yuugi smiled one last time.

"In death and life… together as one."

-The End

* * *

**As you may have guessed, the three dedicated cards are the ****promotional cards released in Yu-Gi-Oh! Character Guidebook: The Gospel of Truth. **_**Pharaoh no Shinpan**_** means "Judgment of the Pharaoh" while **_**YU-JYO**_** is a pun of Yuugi and Jounouchi's names for yujyo/yujou ("friendship"). _UNITY,_ the third card, depicts Yuugi, Otogi, Honda, Anzu, and Jounouchi piling up their hands (which pretty much explains Otogi's presence in this fic). **

**Feedback would be highly appreciated. Thank you.**


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